


A Bird Without Wings

by Myoneloveismusic



Category: DCU, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Near Death Experience, slight slow burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 02:35:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15809577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myoneloveismusic/pseuds/Myoneloveismusic
Summary: Dick Grayson was made to fly. Dizzying drops and incredible acrobats were everything he needed in life. He never blinked before launching himself from the top of a roof to swing between buildings. But one night at a charity gala hosted by Bruce, a group of criminals decide to drop him over the side of a building. It's an experience he never wants to repeat and Dick finds that he might have lost his ability to fly. A Robin without wings could never hope to survive. But this Robin has one thing many others don't: a speedster at his side who's determined to help him get back where he belongs.





	A Bird Without Wings

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah so I basically wrote this in two days because I can never have enough Birdflash and I was really wanting to do something angsty. 
> 
> So please enjoy! I could always use an excuse to write more Birdflash and I had someone reading along while I was writing and they enjoyed it a lot. 
> 
> <3 MOLIM

Dick tugged at the bowtie around his neck. He’d much rather be suited up with his friends who were hanging around the outskirts of the charity event that Bruce was hosting. Not that any of the partygoers knew they were there. He only knew because he’d been briefed on the mission because of Bruce. And because it wasn’t that hard to miss the signs they were there if you knew where to look.

 

He wasn’t sure why Bruce had decided to throw the gala on a rooftop when he knew an attack was inevitable. It probably gave Bruce some weird sense of control by hosting it on a rooftop. Dick just felt an extra level of exposed because he was practically standing in open air even with the railing and didn’t have his utility belt on him. He’d tried to make it work, but it always made his suit bunch weirdly. 

“My, Richard is that you?” 

Dick checked a sigh and plastered a smile on his face. He turned and greeted Mrs. Williams with a smile. “Mrs. Williams! How are you?” 

“I’m wonderful dear, absolutely wonderful. You’ve grown so much,” she reaching out to pinch his cheek. “You’re certainly filling out into quite the young man.” 

Dick’s smile tightened and he fought to keep from rubbing his cheek that he knew was red. “I haven’t grown that much,” he insisted. “We saw each other mere weeks ago.” 

She chuckled and waved her hand. “You’re a teenager growing into a young man. I’m certain it’s your growth spurt that’s taking effect. Pretty soon you’ll start dating a lovely young woman of one of Gotham’s other elites.” 

Dick fought not to wince. Dating a young woman was the last thing he had interest in, but he wasn’t ready to drop that bomb on anyone yet. He’d only recently told Bruce who’d been amicable about it despite not expressing much emotion over anything. 

It also didn’t help that any romantic interests he was harboring were currently focused on his best friend. And that was something he wasn’t ready to touch with a ten foot pole, let alone confess to anyone.  _ Especially  _ Wally. 

Having his closest friend be creeped out by him wasn’t ideal in any circumstance. 

“I don’t think I’m ready to be dating quite yet,” he continued, turning his attention back to the conversation. “I’ve got school to worry about and need to make sure to stay at the top of my class. I have a lot to live up to after all,” he said, voice sickeningly sweet. 

“Oh my,” Mrs. Williams said. “You certainly are the smart one. Bruce must be so proud of you. Now, I must go meet with some of my other friends and do be good. We wouldn’t want you to sneak too much champagne,” she said, eye twinkling as she chuckled. 

“Right…” Dick said as she wandered off to go greet the other elite members of Gotham. He sighed, letting the smile fall from his face. The sooner this night was over, the better. If he was lucky, Bruce would let him go back to Mt. Justice when they were done so he could hang out with the team after his own important “mission.” 

“Don’t look so down,” a familiar voice said as a large hand settled on his shoulder. 

Dick glanced up to find Bruce standing over him, a rare smile gracing his lips. Well, rare as in one that wasn’t forced for publicity anyway. 

“I’m trying to make the most of it,” he admitted. 

“I know you want to be with your friends, but we’ll only be here for another hour tops.” 

Dick raised an eyebrow. “You promise?” he asked. 

Bruce nodded. “The speeches are going to get started soon. Grab some food and stick to the edges. You won’t have to be subjected to as much face pinching.” 

Dick smiled. “After we’re done can I go hang out with the team?” 

“We’ll see,” he said, giving Dick one last pat on the shoulder. “Now go on.” 

Dick skirted to the edges of the floor happily. He slipped behind the refreshments table and grabbed a small triangle sandwich, nibbling on the tip as he avoided meeting the gazes of any old ladies. 

“Good evening esteemed guests,” a voice said, ringing through the speakers that had been set up as the music came to a close. “Thank you all for coming.” 

Dick ignored the voice, wandering over to the glass railing that encircled the rooftop. He shoved the rest of the sandwich in his mouth and crossed his arms over the railing, staring down at the abyss below and the rest of Gotham as a breeze ruffled his hair. 

He caught movement on the rooftop opposite him out of the corner of his eye. He kept his head down as he lifted his gaze, finding Connor and Artemis huddled at the edge of the roof, eyes trained on the sky and the building. 

Dick kept a hand on the railing and started to carefully walk along it. His eyes darted to the next building over and found the roof empty. He wondered if that’s where they were keeping M’gann’s bioship. 

On the next building he saw a flash of red hair and had to fight to keep the smile off his face at how unsubtle his best friend was. Wally would know who he is, but he couldn’t exactly wave over at him. Not when he was supposed to be nothing more than the ignorant heir of a wealthy billionaire. 

Dick turned and sighed, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the railing. He smiled even as he watched Bruce take to the stage to greet the people he’d invited to his charity event. 

His smile slipped when he heard the distinct sound of helicopter blades. He straightened and turned, trying not to appear too on edge. Realistically, it could’ve been a news crew hoping to get some footage of the event, but with the threat of an attack on the event, that outcome seemed unlikely. 

Dick spotted a copter weaving through the buildings and swallowed. He glanced at the stage hoping to catch Bruce’s eye. He was scanning the sky, still talking pleasantly to the people there and Dick bit his lip. 

Bruce’s gaze landed on him and Dick glanced in the direction of the copter, wishing he had M’gann’s telepathic link to tell him what was coming. Bruce’s smile dipped and he said something Dick didn’t catch before everyone around him started clapping and he stepped off the stage. 

Dick started around the floor, heading in the direction Bruce was walking to intercept him when gunshots broke the good atmosphere. Dick gasped and instinctively ducked, covering his head from any fire. 

Screams sounded around him as the rest of the guests did the same. 

The last time he’d looked, the copter wasn’t positioned to have shot over the crowd. Which only meant…

The collar around Dick’s neck tightened as he was pulled backwards. He kicked out wildly, scratching at the hand around his neck as he was lifted from the ground. Panic exploded in his chest as he fought to catch a glimpse of who was holding him, but he quickly stilled when he was held out over the railing, feet hanging above open space. 

He struggled to calm himself, the drop dizzying. Being high in the air had never bothered him before. He’d loved the thrill that came with flying between buildings and on the trapeze during his years in the circus before that. Flying was his friend. So, why was it instilling a chilling fear in his very core? 

He barely picked up on the sound of grunts and groans amidst the chaos raging in his mind and body. 

“Call off the capes or he drops!” a hoarse voice yelled behind him. 

Dick wanted to search for his friends. He needed to know they were close, but he couldn’t take his eyes of the drop, the only thing keeping him from death was the grip on his neck. If he turned he could certainly get his hand on the railing and stall and that would be enough for him to hand on until help arrived, he reasoned to himself. He fought to calm his breathing as he started thinking rationally. 

And then there was nothing. 

Dick reached out as he felt himself plummet. He wasn’t used to screaming and barely registered the noise that tore itself from his throat as a rush of air filled his ears. 

Windows whizzed past him, some lit, others dark as his gaze turned towards the sky, seeking any sign that this was a nightmare and a line would catch him soon enough. But there wasn’t. He was going to die. He had no line, no net, there was no Bruce to save him. He was going to die, his light snuffed out not when he was doing what he loved, but when he was playing the part of Richard Grayson, the heir and alternate identity that didn’t encompass even a fraction of his being. 

He saw a blur of yellow out of the corner of his eye and squeezed his eyes shut. It was only fitting that he thought of his best friend in his last moments. He didn’t know what people usually saw before their deaths. There’s been tales that their whole lives flashed before their eyes. And maybe that was true. Maybe somewhere along the way Wally had become his whole world and that was what was going to lead him to his end. 

Warmth encircled him and Dick instinctively curled towards it, hoping that death would be painless. Or it was already over and this was it. Maybe death wasn’t so bad and he could go peacefully even if it was the same kind of death his parents had experienced. He could go out in a blaze of yellow warmth that had stuck by his side for years. He was just sad to leave him behind. 

“I’ve got you.” 

Dick’s eyes shot open and he practically reeled back as they came to a stop. Wally clutched at him tighter, keeping him from tumbling out of his arms and face-planting in the middle of the street in shock. 

“Wally, you…” he breathed. 

Wally smirked. “You didn’t think I was gonna let you fall now, did you?” 

Dick blinked at him before he crumpled against his chest as the shaking started. 

“Dick?” he asked, tensing underneath him. 

He shook his head, heart pounding as the rush of adrenaline and fear crashed through him. 

“Hey Dick, it’s okay. You’ve jumped off buildings before…” he started, sounding as uncertain as Dick felt. Wally shifted underneath him. “Let’s get you back up there. I’m sure Bruce is worried sick and the rest of the team has taken care of those idiots.” 

Dick nodded, wrapping his arms around Wally’s shoulders and not bothering to lift his head from where it was pressed against Wally’s chest.  

Air rushed in his ears as Wally started running. He barely felt the change when they transitioned from the sidewalk to the side of the building and made it back to the rooftop expanse where the event was. 

The helicopter was gone and the crowd was quiet. Dick caught a glimpse of several large men who were tied up and propped against the glass railing. Wally set him back on his feet, keeping an arm around his waist as his legs shook. 

“Dick?!” 

He looked up and found Bruce rushing towards him, worry, concern, and fear shining in his gaze as he closed the distance between them. Dick took a shaky step forward, barely covering any distance before Bruce’s arms wrapped around him and pulled him from the ground. 

“Thank you, Kid Flash,” Bruce’s voice rumbled in Dick’s ear. 

“Yeah, no problem,” he said, softly. 

Dick buried his face in Bruce’s shoulders, listening as he was shushed. He could feel the shaking in his limbs and was beyond ready to go home and curl up in bed. Bruce’s arms were tight around him and he wrapped his own legs around Bruce’s waist as far as he could manage in their position. 

He heard the muffled voices of the other members of the team as they came up behind Wally and Bruce stepped away. 

“That’s Dick Grayson, right?” Artemis asked, voice low. 

“Yeah…” Wally said. 

“I can only imagine how he must be feeling after being dropped off the side of a building,” Kaldur commented. 

“At least Kid Flash was there to catch him,” Artemis added. 

The other members of the team hummed but no one broached the topic further. 

“Bruce?” Dick asked from where he was still trying to smother himself in his shoulder. 

“What is it?” he asked, running a hand up his back. 

“Can we go home?” 

“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah we can.” 

Dick was glad none of the other socialites were making a fuss, but as they approached the doors, they were stopped by the police. 

“Mr. Wayne, I’m sorry, but we can’t let you leave the crime scene.” 

“Please. My son has been through a lot. I’d like to get him home,” Bruce said, keeping Dick close. 

“We understand that, but we have several questions that we need to ask him for our investigation.”

Bruce sighed. “Is there no way we can handle this later?” he pleaded. 

“I’m afraid not,” the other man said, sounding truly regretful. 

“Dick?” Bruce prodded. 

“What?” he mumbled. 

“Do you think you can answer a few questions?” 

“Can we leave when I’m done?” 

“Yes,” the officer spoke up behind him. 

“Okay,” Dick said, voice small. He unwrapped his legs from Bruce’s waist and let them drop, using his weight as a sign that it was okay for Bruce to put him down. Dick turned and glanced up at the officers before staring at the floor. Bruce’s hand stayed on his shoulder and he was grateful for the touch. 

The officers knelt in front of him and held out a recorder. “Can you tell us your name?” 

“Richard Grayson.” 

“And can you tell me what happened to you this evening?” 

Dick recounted everything after he saw the copter approaching to when he was brought back to the roof by Wally. They nodded along as he talked and gave encouraging words. Out of the corner of his eye he could see a familiar blob of yellow, but he refused to look at his friend. Couldn’t yet. 

“Thank you, Richard,” the second officer said, shutting off the recorder. “If we need anything else, we’ll be contacting you within the next few days.” 

“Thank you,” Bruce said and steered Dick around them to the double doors that led inside. 

Dick walked in a daze, not giving much care to his surroundings until they reached the garage and found Alfred waiting with the car. 

“Master Richard, thank goodness,” Alfred said, kneeling in front of him to pull him into a hug. Dick squeezed him back, screwing his eyes shut. “Let’s get the two of you back to the Manor,” he said, straightening and pulling the door open to let Bruce and him slide into the backseat. 

When they were seated, Bruce pulled Dick tightly against his side and Dick rested his head on his shoulder. 

The car struggled to break through the row of police cars that surrounded the building, their lights dancing harshly in the backseat of the car as they reflected off the black windows of the surrounding buildings. 

Dick closed his eyes, trying to block all of it out until they were several streets away and the only reminders he’d be faced with were those of his memories. 

Classical music filtered to his ears from the frontseat and he was grateful for the background noise. Bruce stayed silent, a strong presence at his side during the drive. 

The car crawled up the drive to the Manor and pulled into the garage filled with several other cars. Together, Alfred and Bruce ushered Dick into the Manor and up to his room. 

“Would you care for anything to eat, Master Richard?” Alfred asked. “Or perhaps some tea?” 

“Some tea would be nice, thank you,” he said, softly, staring down at his dress shoes. 

“Right away, Master Richard,” Alfred said before departing. 

“Is there anything else you need?” Bruce asked, kneeling down in front of him. 

“I think I...I think I just want to try and sleep,” he mumbled. 

Bruce nodded and pulled him into a rough hug. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he said, voice hoarse and tight. Dick nodded and it was several moments before Bruce was able to pull back and get to his feet, leaving him alone in his room. 

Dick grabbed his pajamas and moved into the bathroom, stripping out of his dress clothes so he could put on something more comfortable. He left his suit in a pile on the floor and knew Alfred would be mad at him for leaving it in such disarray, but he couldn’t find the energy to care or even think of putting it away. 

When he stepped back into his bedroom, there was a tray sitting on his desk that housed a small pot and cup of tea. The door to his room had been shut and Dick carried the tray over to his bedside table, shoving the lamp and the clock out of the way to make room. 

He climbed onto his bed and wrapped the blanket around him, finding it wasn’t enough. He needed something more, but he wasn’t sure what. He stared at the steam curling from the cup of tea and sighed, trying not to think about what it had felt like to drop through the air like it was nothing. 

He heard the distinct sound of something vibrating and sat up in bed, ears alert as he listened. It was coming from the bathroom and he remembered his phone. He’d left it in the pockets of his dress pants. 

Dick clambored out of bed, taking the blanket with him, the tail dragging along the carpet. The vibrating paused and started again before he could get to his suit and he dug around in the pockets, fingers wrapping around the sleek device. 

Wally’s name flashed across the screen as it continued to vibrate. He clutched it in his hand and made his way back to his bed. The vibrating stopped before he could get settled against his row of pillows and started for a third time. 

Dick didn’t know what he was going to say, but figured it wouldn’t really matter. He answered the call and held the phone up to his ear, knowing Wally wouldn’t waste any time in filling the silence. 

“Dick are you okay? Where are you? What’s going on? The last I saw of you, Bruce was taking you away and we had to go back to the cave and debrief andIjustwanttomakesureyou’reokay,” he said, breath leaving him in a rush. 

“Wally,” Dick said, voice soft. 

Wally sighed and it sounded as tired as he felt. “Are you okay?” 

Dick curled tighter underneath his blanket. “I...I dunno,” he answered honestly. 

“Can I come over? I mean, do you even want me to come over? Because if you want to be alone right now I completely understand, but like I said, I just want to make sure you’re okay and you had a pretty scary fall and-” 

“Wally,” Dick said, cutting him off before he could start speed talking again. 

“Sorry,” he apologized. “But can I?” 

Dick shifted. “I...don’t think I’d mind if you were here,” he admitted. 

“I’ll be there in a flash,” he said before hanging up. 

Dick pulled the phone away and set it on the bedside table, careful of the tea that was probably safe to drink, but he wasn’t really in the mood for it. It seemed like it would take too much energy to cradle the cup in his hands and drink from it. 

A soft knock sounded on his door. 

“Master Richard?” Alfred said. “I have Master Wallace with me. He said that you had invited him over.” 

“Let him in, Alfred.” 

The door was pushed open to reveal Alfred and Wally. Wally was biting his lip and Dick could see that he was fighting to not speed over to him and check him over. 

“You can come in Wally,” he said. 

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Alfred said with a small bow. He pulled the door shut after Wally stepped inside. 

He shifted on his feet as Dick watched him and then, no doubt using more self-restraint than he was used to exerting, Wally walked at a normal pace over to Dick’s bed. 

“Can I come in?” he asked, trying and failing to grin like he normally would when they made jokes together. 

Dick lifted the edge of the blanket in invitation and Wally laid down next to him, his arms immediately going around Dick and pulling him against his chest. Dick sighed, finally feeling some of the tenseness seep out of him now that he was in Wally’s arms. He buried his face in Wally’s shirt. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Wally asked. 

Dick shrugged. “I…” he started. “I really thought I was going to die tonight.” That simple admission seemed to open the floodgates as tears welled in his eyes. “I’ve never felt so vulnerable, so... _ mortal _ . I knew being Robin had its risks, but to think I could’ve died at a stuffy charity gala?” He chuckled harshly and Wally’s arms tightened around him. “If you hadn’t been there…” 

“But I was,” Wally said quickly, burying his face in Dick’s hair. “I’ll always be there to catch you when you fall.” 

Dick choked on a sob and Wally held him tightly as he cried, rocking him and shushing him when he needed it, but being there nonetheless. It made Dick’s heart swell to its breaking point and the feelings he’d been ignoring and halfway trying to deal with came back in full force. 

He was exhausted in so many ways. Had been pulled in so many different directions and looked death fully in the face when he had no way to fight back against it.  

“Get some sleep,” Wally said when he was spent and boneless in his arms. “I’ll be here when you wake up okay?” 

Dick nodded, his eyes sliding shut without his permission. 

And just as he was about to drift off, he thought he felt the softest brush of lips against the top of his head. But it was probably his brain imagining things. 

~~

Dick was groggy when he finally woke up. He was warm, not too warm, but content, and his eyes felt glued shut. He scrubbed at them with the back of his hand and felt the arm that was still wrapped around his back tighten at his movements. 

“You’re awake,” Wally said, voice rough with sleep above his head. 

“Yeah,” Dick mumbled. 

“How are you feeling?” 

Dick sighed and let his hand fall away. He closed his eyes, mind running over everything that had happened the night before. It was a little easier to handle, the distance sleep had caused helping him to process everything. 

“I’m okay,” he admitted. 

“You hungry for some breakfast?” Wally asked, rolling onto his back to stretch his arms over his head as he yawned. 

A small smile pulled at Dick’s lips. “Are you asking because you genuinely want to know if I’m hungry or are you asking because you’re hungry and don’t want to seem rude?” 

Wally chuckled and much to Dick’s surprise he rolled over and pulled Dick against his chest. “If you’re already getting sassy with me then I know you’re going to be just fine.” 

Dick smiled, happy to be able to hide it in Wally’s shirt. “I guess I should at least make an appearance at breakfast,” he admitted. “Maybe seeing you eat Alfred’s cooking will dredge up an appetite.” 

“Great!” Wally cheered and rolled away to climb out of bed. 

Dick immediately missed his warmth, but some of it returned when Wally turned to him and held out his hand to help Dick out of bed. He let himself get pulled to his feet and Wally threw an arm around his shoulders, keeping him pressed against his side as they walked down the hall and descended the stairs to the first floor. 

Wally pushed through the kitchen door and they were immediately enveloped by the smell of bacon frying. Alfred’s back was to them where he worked at the stove and he glanced over his shoulder, offering them both a kind smile. 

“Ah, Master Wallace and Master Richard. I’m glad to see the two of you up and on your feet. Would you care for some breakfast?” 

“Yes, please,” Wally said, happily. 

“And for you, Master Richard?” 

“Maybe a little,” Dick admitted. 

“Go have a seat at the table. Master Bruce already has his coffee and newspaper.” 

Wally tugged him through the door to the adjoining dining room and Bruce looked up at their appearance. He set his things down when his eyes landed on Dick and he pushed out of his chair, walking over to him. 

Wally stepped aside and made himself comfortable in one of the chairs at the table while Bruce pulled Dick into a tight hug, Dick’s arms automatically wrapping around his back. 

“How are you feeling?” he asked, voice soft. 

“I’m okay.” 

Bruce’s hand rubbed over his back before he pulled away. He gave his shoulder a squeeze and they parted, Bruce returning to his chair as Dick took the seat next to Wally. 

Alfred brought in several plates on a cart. Most of them were stacked high with food and set around Wally for him to inhale. Dick was given a few eggs, two slices of bacon, and some plain toast. He picked up one of the toast slices and nibbled on the edge, still not having much of an appetite. 

A peaceful silence enveloped the space around them as Wally focused on his food. Dick was glad that the events of the night before weren’t currently wreaking havoc on his brain and hoped it would stay that way. 

“Are you coming back to Mt. Justice today?” Wally asked around a mouthful of food. 

Dick glanced at Bruce who he knew was listening, but didn’t offer any input. “I dunno…” 

“I’m sure the team would like to see you,” Wally continued. “Since they thought you were off on a mission and all.” 

“Yeah, I...I might stop by and use the training equipment too,” Dick mumbled. 

“Cool,” Wally said, voice ringing out in the silence. 

Alfred pushed through the door that led to the kitchen. “Would any of you care for seconds? Master Wallace?” he asked, giving Wally an expectant look. 

“I’m actually okay,” he admitted and Dick looked at him, eyes wide. He chuckled. “Don’t give me that look. If we’re going back to Mt. Justice, I just know I’m going to be roped into running the obstacle course.” 

“Oh,” Dick said. “I guess I should go get changed then.” He pushed his chair back and left the room behind, hurrying up the stairs out of nervous energy more than excitement. 

He pulled off his sweats from the night before and slipped one of his training leotards on. He pulled jeans and a hoodie over top and settled his black sunglasses on his nose since he was headed back to the team. At the last minute he shoved a domino mask into the pocket of his hoodie to make training easier in the gym.

He didn’t bother going back to the kitchen and made his way for the Cave. Wally was standing by the Zeta tube with his hands stuffed in his pockets and grinned at his approach. 

“Ready to go?” he asked. 

“You know it,” Dick said as Wally threw an arm around his shoulders and they stepped into the tube. 

_ Recognized: Robin B01. Recognized: Kid Flash B03.  _

The lights of the tube dimmed and Wally walked him towards the kitchen and living area the team liked to hang out in on the weekends. 

“Robin!” M’gann greeted, flying out of the kitchen. “We didn’t think you would return from your mission so soon.” 

He shrugged, accidentally knocking Wally’s arm from around his shoulder. “Things got...taken care of faster than expected,” he hedged. “I was actually hoping to do some training while I was here,” he said, diverting the topic. 

“Well if you get hungry, Artemis and I are making cookies in the kitchen,” she said with a smile. 

“Oh, I could go for some of those,” Wally said, rubbing his hands together and taking a step forward before he froze and looked back at Dick. 

Dick plastered a smile on his face. “Go ahead. I’m gonna head down to the gym if you need me,” he said, turning and raising his hand in departure. 

Wally and M’Gann talked quietly as they made for the kitchen. Dick stuffed his hands in the pockets of his hoodie and fingered his mask as he walked through the halls, his footsteps silent on the floor. He took a deep breath and let it out through his mouth in a sigh, feeling at ease under the walls of rock that surrounded the mountain stronghold. 

The doors to the training room opened easily for him and he smiled at the expansive gymnastics equipment that had been installed for him. The trapeze was kept exclusively for the Manor, but here he had a set of rings, balance beams, trampolines, and mats to work with. 

Dick kicked off his shoes, wiggling his toes against the cool floor. He shoved down his jeans and pulled the hoodie over his head, tossing it to the floor with the rest of his things as he rolled his shoulders and loosened his muscles. He pulled a domino mask from his hoodie and exchanged his sunglasses for it. 

He walked over to the rings and bent his legs, jumping up to catch them securely in his hands. He shifted, testing his grip before he pushed his arms to the side, raising his body in the air as his muscles burned and warmed. He let out a breath and lowered himself, smiling as he started to swing his legs. 

He raised his legs in front of him at a ninety degree angle, holding the position with his abs so it looked like he was sitting in mid-air. He released the position and let his body lower before using his grip to lift himself so he was holding the rings next to his hips and his legs were hanging below him, toes pointed at the floor. 

Dick slowly curled his back, raising his hips and legs above his head until he was straight again, toes pointed towards the ceiling this time. He breathed with the strain, a drop of sweat sliding down his cheek. He turned his gaze to the floor, finding a spot to focus on when he reeled back at the feeling of weightlessness. 

The jolt forced him from his position and his legs dropped quickly, pulling his hands roughly from their grip. He gasped and slammed into the floor in a heap, chest heaving as he fought to drive the memories of falling through open space from his mind. 

Dick swallowed, feeling sweat that had nothing to do with his workout, bead at his temples as he shivered. He braced his hands against the mat and pushed himself back so he was sitting on his heels. 

The door slid open behind him and cheerful voices met his ears. 

“Rob?!” Wally asked, kneeling in front of him in the blink of an eye. “What happened?” 

“Lost my grip on the rings. Little rusty I guess,” he said, voice soft and unable to force a laugh. 

“You’re not hurt are you?” Wally continued, wrapping his hands around Dick’s biceps to help him to his feet. 

Dick rolled his ankles and wrists and shook his head. “Nope, I’m okay.” 

“What happened to your neck?” 

“Huh?” Dick asked, turning to find Artemis staring at him. 

Wally frowned and stepped behind him, sucking in a breath. 

“What is it?” Dick asked. 

“You have a huge bruise on the back of your neck,” Wally said softly. 

“Did you get that last night?” Artemis continued, stepping closer. 

Dick rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. “Must have, I guess.” 

_ Recognized: Red Tornado - 16. Recognized: Black Canary - 13. _

Dick turned, ready to follow Artemis and Wally to the Zeta tube, but Wally was still standing behind, eyes filled with concern. Dick ducked his head and stepped around him, heading for the hall. He grabbed his clothes on his way out, not caring that he was walking along the cold floor barefoot. 

Wally caught up with him a moment later, hands stuffed in his pockets as they walked. Dick knew he was itching to say something and ask after his well-being, but he stayed silent and Dick was grateful for the chance to work through his emotions as memories raged. 

_ Recognized: Red Arrow - 21.  _

Wally and Dick froze, exchanging an incredulous look before they were off like a shot, Wally zooming ahead to the Zeta tube. Dick made a disgruntled sound at not being able to keep up, but made it into the room a few minutes later. 

“Rob!” 

He looked up and found Roy striding over to him after pulling out of a half-hug with Wally. 

“I heard about-” 

Dick cut him off with a shake of his head, glancing at the rest of the team even though Roy couldn’t see where he was looking behind his domino. 

“We have a mission for the team,” Black Canary broke in from her spot behind the rest of the team members who were watching Dick and Roy curiously. 

“You do?” Dick asked, stepping forward as Roy placed a hand on his shoulder. 

She nodded. “Everyone get suited up and we’ll debrief in the conference room.” 

The team nodded and raced off. Dick turned to move, but Roy tightened his hand on his shoulder. 

“Wait,” he said. 

“What?” Dick asked as Dinah walked over to them. 

“I heard about what happened last night,” he explained. “Heard about it this morning from a stupid news station actually rather than last night when someone should’ve told me,” he added with a grumble, giving Dick a pointed look.

“I had Wally with me.” 

“Yeah, I know he saved you,” Roy said, rolling his eyes. 

“No, I mean he came over last night.” 

Roy blinked at him before his lips pulled into a smirk. “Did he now?” he asked making Dick flush and shift under the weight of his gaze. 

“I heard, too,” Dinah added. “And I wanted to make sure you were comfortable going on a mission after what happened last night. The team would not hold it against you if you weren’t prepared for this today. They would understand if you claimed exhaustion from your supposed mission with Batman last night.” 

Dick shook his head and took a step back. “No, I’m going. I can’t just abandon the team.” 

“Robin,” Dinah sighed. 

“I’m part of this team, too. I’ll be fine,” he said, squaring his shoulders. 

She pursed her lips and gave him a onceover. “Fine. I’ll allow it, but I have the right to pull you off the mission at any time if I feel you aren’t adequate to fight.” 

“And I’m coming too,” Roy added. 

Dick nodded and turned on his heel, sprinting back to his room to change into his uniform. He dumped his clothes on his bed and stripped out of his leotard, pulling on the various pieces of his uniform. It was second nature to him now and he knew he had everything he needed without having to double check. 

He clasped his cape around his shoulders as he hurried back through the hall to the briefing room. Everyone was waiting for him when he arrived which wasn’t surprising since they all got a head start on changing. Not that Bruce would accept that kind of excuse if he was there. 

“Now that you’re all here,” Dinah said, placing her hands on the table in front of her. “We have word of a series of robberies that have been planned across Gotham. Three robberies are set to occur at the same time so as to confuse officials and complicate the police response time. A fourth false robbery is set to occur at the home of an elite socialite to drive all GCPDs forces there specifically.” 

“What are they trying to rob?” Dick asked. “Are all of the robberies planned for residential homes?” 

Dinah’s lips thinned. “No, they’re not. They’re after three prominent labs which have been discretely working together to develop a new technology for tracing cell phones and wireless signals, giving access to unlimited aspects of private and encrypted data. A police squad has been tasked with intercepting the false robbery to make it look like their grand scheme hasn’t been detected. 

“Our team is going to be split into three groups that will each intercept one of the locations. Kid Flash and Artemis are going to be located at the first lab. Superboy and Aqualad will take the second. And Miss Martian and Robin will take the third. Red Arrow will step in where necessary and Red Tornado and I will monitor the situation from here.

“The robbers are skilled in what they do. Their weapons are high tech condensed laser blasters, but beyond that, they have no strong fighting skills. They’re excellent at hacking, so don’t allow them to take advantage of the lab’s security to run you in circles and ensure their getaway. Do you have any other questions about the mission before you’re deployed to case the labs and find your positions?” 

Dinah looked at each of them in turn and they stared right back, ready for battle. She nodded. 

“Head to the bioship, then.” 

~~

Dick crouched next to the rooftop door and tapped away at his wrist computer. He was looking through the security cameras, getting a sense of the feed that tapped into each of the rooms. He went through the security next and tried to ignore the irritation at the back of his mind at the fact that Roy was hovering several feet away. He hadn’t made a move to check on any of the other groups and Dick hoped he had good reason for it. 

_ “Black Canary to Team C _ . _ ”  _

Dick pressed the communicator in his ear, immediately stilling as he gave a reply. 

“Team C here,” he answered. 

_ “Police units have been dispatched to the fourth location, be prepared to intercept.”  _

“Copy,” he said. He closed his wrist computer and stood, rolling his shoulders. “Check the entrances of the building,” he said softly to M’Gann and Roy as he walked to the edge of the roof. 

He swallowed as he looked down at the ground below, fighting down the memory of staring into the abyss the night before. He could deal with that later. 

A hand landed on his shoulder and Dick jerked back, looking up at Roy who had an eyebrow raised at him. He shrugged off the hand and walked along the edge, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of movement. 

“Robin,” M’Gann said, catching his attention. He looked over at her and she waved him over. 

Roy followed after him and they looked down to find a black van idling in the alley below. 

“No time like the present,” Dick said with a smirk. He pulled four birdarangs from his belt as M’Gann flew over the edge. She immediately fired two energy blasts at the top of the van that exploded on impact. 

The van jerked in reverse, making for the mouth of the alley and Dick peered through the windshield, seeing the startled looks coming from an elderly couple. 

“That’s the wrong van,” Dick breathed, realizing the mistake they’d made. “Miss Martian!” he called, stopping her assault. She turned to look at him, but Dick didn’t bother to say anything else. He turned and sprinted to the opposite side of the roof, Roy following behind him. 

He hopped onto the roof ledge and froze, swallowing his uneasiness as he spotted a sleek, black car in the alley below him. Three people in black cradled something silver between them as they opened the rear doors of the car. Roy jumped up next to him and shot an arrow. It stuck in the roof just above the door and the group jumped back, heads turning skyward to look at their group. 

“Let’s go,” Roy said and immediately jumped down into the fray. 

Dick took a step forward and froze again, crippling nausea and vertigo engulfing his senses as he stumbled back away from the ledge as he tried to force his muscles to move when they were bent on seizing up. 

“Robin?” M’Gann asked, steadying him. 

“Red Arrow,” he gasped and gestured to the alley below. 

“I can’t just leave-” 

“I’ll be right behind you,” he lied, trying to get control of his breathing. 

“Okay,” she said, sounding uncertain before she left Dick alone to help their other teammate. 

“It’s just a drop, it’s just a drop, it’s just a drop,” he chanted to himself, squeezing his eyes shut. “You have a line and you’re not going to fall.” 

Dick was certain he was having a panic attack. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a panic attack short of Scarecrow’s fear gas. Somehow, this seemed so much worse than those attacks. At least with the fear gas he knew there was an antidote. He knew how to work himself through the hallucinations. He didn’t know how to get over his new fear of flying when that had been ingrained in him for so long. 

“Hey.” 

Dick jerked back at the voice, falling onto his ass as he fought to ground himself. Roy crouched in front of him, concern written all over his features. 

“What about-” he started. 

“Taken care of. We’re just waiting for the police to come pick them up. As for you, I’m taking you back to Mt. Justice.” He grabbed Dick’s arm and pulled him to his feet. “And don’t argue with me. You weren’t coherent for at least five minutes while I was trying to talk to you.” 

“But Miss Martian,” he protested. 

“Is fine and can handle it until the cops arrive. She’s got the bioship and can get the rest of the team back to the base.” 

Dick nodded, trying not to feel too sorry for himself as he let himself be guided to the fire escape on the side of the roof. He felt miserable. He’d almost screwed up a mission and if Roy hadn’t been there, M’gann would’ve been fighting on her own. 

He barely paid attention on the walk to the Zeta tube, its announcements falling on deaf ears. Dinah was waiting for them outside the transport tube. Her lips were pulled in a thin line, but her gaze was kind. 

“Go get changed,” she said. “I’m going to have a talk with you later, Robin.” 

“Yes, ma’am,” he sighed as Roy dragged him to his room. 

Roy pushed him over to his bed, causing him to stumble a step. “I’m going to meet the rest of the team and if you even think of trying to run off, I’m going to come hunt your ass down. You won’t make it five feet outside the base before a shock arrow tazes you” 

Dick didn’t bother responding, he just unhooked his cape and started to undress. Roy gave him one last onceover before he left, the doors sliding shut with a hiss behind him. 

He collapsed onto his bed after he pulled his jeans and hoodie that he’d worn that morning. He curled onto his side, feeling the most helpless he had since the night of his parents’ death. 

“Rob!” 

Dick jolted and turned. He hadn’t heard the doors open and before he could fully face Wally, he had an armful of him. Or maybe it was the other way around and Wally had an armful of him. He looked over his shoulder to make sure they were alone and was happy to find the door had slid shut again. 

“Wally, what are you doing here?” Dick asked. “Don’t you have a debrief? How did you even get back here? What about the criminals and-” 

Dick’s brain short circuited when Wally’s hands framed his face and chapped lips pressed against his own. He froze and Wally jerked back, eyes wide and mouth slack before he slapped a hand over his mouth. 

“Wally?” Dick asked, voice small and uncertain. 

“Sorry,” he squeaked. “I shouldn’t have done that without asking. It’s just I was really worried and after what happened last nightIheardwhatwentwrongonthemissiontodayand-” 

Wally’s sentence ran on into something completely indecipherable for Dick. As he watched, Wally started to vibrate in place and panic curled in Dick’s chest that he was going to leave him alone. 

He snatched Wally’s wrist before he could move and Wally’s words, and vibrations, immediately stopped. 

“It’s...it’s okay,” Dick finally managed to say as he took in Wally’s pink cheeks. 

“Oh.” 

Silence stretched between them and Dick didn’t know how to fill it. Things were rarely awkward between them. 

“I...didn’t mind,” Dick started. “You can do it again, I liked it.” 

“Oh-okay,” Wally agreed before he swallowed and stepped closer. “I heard what happened on the roof. Are you okay?” 

Dick slumped forward and Wally pulled him into his arms. “I couldn’t jump off a building,” he mumbled. “I’ve never not been able to jump off a building.” 

Wally shrugged. “You were just dropped off one yesterday, it would make sense that you’re not totally comfortable with it right now.” 

He sighed. “But that’s not all. When I was practicing on the rings earlier, I freaked out too.” 

Wally hummed and prodded Dick until he moved to sit cross-legged on his bed and Wally could sit next to him. After a moment, he hesitantly took Dick’s hand and laced their fingers together. Dick rested his head on Wally’s shoulder. 

“I think you just need to give yourself a little bit of time to heal. You’ll be back on your feet before you know it, doing all kinds of flips and shit on the trapeze and jumping off rooftops like it’s no big deal.” 

“How are you so sure?” Dick mumbled. 

“Because I know how amazing and strong you are. You’re Robin. You’re made to fly and I’m going to make sure you stretch your wings again.” 

Dick breathed a laugh at how earnest Wally always seemed to be. “Thank you, Wally,” he said, lifting his head to face him. 

Wally grinned, his cheeks tinting further. “Does this mean I get another kiss?” 

“Do you even need to ask?” Dick asked before wrapping his fingers around the back of Wally’s neck and pulling his head down to press their lips together. And this kiss, this felt like he was flying, his stomach swooping and tumbling as his heart swelled with happiness and euphoria. 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are loved and appreciated!
> 
> You can find me on [Tumblr](my-one-love-is-music.tumblr.com) and [Twitter](twitter.com/m_o_l_i_m)


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